- That English Field sketch is awesome.
- Glad to see the Cassell seats are being replaced starting this summer. I would buy one of the old seats if they put them up for auction.
- Does anyone know what "resealing" South Endzone means?
- I'm surprised the golf building didn't come with a simulator from the start.
- I'm glad they included the cross country diagram, I don't think I had seen the new alignment for the road. I assumed it was going more on top of the old road. Cool design.
thanks for posting! Interesting stuff.
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- Glad to see the Cassell seats are being replaced starting this summer. I would buy one of the old seats if they put them up for auction.
That was the original target. But they are postponing that to coincide with the reseating to be done in the summer of 2017. They are still in the process of picking out a company to do the seats; so far we have only had one in house demo done.
- I'm surprised the golf building didn't come with a simulator from the start.
The "golf building" is the old wrestling room on the first floor of Cassell, which was recently the storage/surplus room.
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Nope, Whit is taking away our last bit of storage space around here. Plus with it being on campus, in Cassell specifically, they no longer have to drive down to the River Course to get some practice in.
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Who has the basement of the baseball bunker? The MVs used to use it for instrument storage, but since the new facility is up now, they no longer need it I'd imagine. Gotta be some storage there.
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I'm trying to think of where you are talking about, but everything is pretty much being used nowadays. The only thing that could possibly be used is the old raquetball court, but people still play every now and then so that is a no go.
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Yeah, they typically use a fluid-applied waterproofing system that is rolled onto the concrete (like paint) and an aggregate finish is broadcast onto it for slip-resistance.
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Each year there's a certain amount in the budget for facilities improvements, but most of it is donor money. If I remember correctly, the Athletic Department paid nothing for the indoor practice facility. I know the Marching Virginian facility was by donation as well.
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Off topic, but this comment made me think of it...
Have any of you recent grads got these nonsense IRS calls that try to exploit you into paying them to settle debts? The caller always sounds Indian and they spoof the Blacksburg PD phone number. I know a few friends that are Hokie grads that have had this happen, so i'm sure some of you know what I am talking about..
I am nearly positive one of the schools database systems must have been compromised. As the details I am fed from these IRS scammers are old addresses and details that I only used at VT to try and wiggle my way into in state tuition... details I don't use for any other accounts. Has VT released anything on this? Known data leaks
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This is not a VT-exclusive thing. There are plenty of people around the country who are experiencing similar things. I have family in Arizona who has had this happen to them.
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Well right, even the IRS mentions on their call-waiting that they would never call you and demand money. So they must get enough calls from shocked American's to have started combating this within their call queuing system.
I am just asking whether anybody else has noticed specific data that they only provided to VT. Enough of my friends have reported similar experiences, it makes me really think one of the school systems was hacked. I have not seen any confirmation from VT.
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Had this happen with them spoofing the Loudoun County Sheriffs office saying they had a warrant for my arrest based on an IRS complaint. They then tried to pawn me off on an "IRS Agent" in New York that could settle my debt. I told them they could come arrest me, then called the Sheriff's office myself, who asked that I go online and report it to the FCC as a communications fraud as well to the IRS themselves. The IRS also asks that you inform the Treasury.
I asked them for the case number and the local IRS agent assigned, after they told me police were on the way over.
Than I would simply drive over to the local IRS office with a cashier's check and pay it and we'd figure out what happened later.
Then called the local IRS office and files the fraud complaint.
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I got one and checked it out. It's making the rounds all over the country. I figured they hacked a tax software database of some type.
My favorite is this recent tactic. Lady with nice voice, "Is this Henry? Oh, I'm sorry but I really didn't know who to ask for. I just want to talk to someone about...". It's way better than "Is theees Meeester Dahieeveed ..."
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OT, but does anyone feel like the orange color in the presentation is slightly off and not as bright as before? If so, this would match with the previous renderings that came out last summer from Nike regarding a color change.
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I know this about athletics but when are the renovations to the athletic dorms projected. If I recall, I saw Zorn promoting to new Edge apartments to recruits since it will be a lot nicer than what the campus currently offers for dorms. If I am way off then my apologies. I just want to make sure for recruiting purposes or dorms aren't keeping recruits away compared to other universities.
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The idea that a recruit would go somewhere else because they may or may not get one of the newer dorms is pretty far fetched. I don't think I have ever heard a recruit mention it. To answer your question though there are remodels and improvements being done to all the older dorms and the newer ones are top notch.
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would love to hear it. also why they didn't bother to use vray or another render plugin to give it some actual materiality and realism to the image. It takes like an extra 20 to 30 minutes. just saying...
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Jeep random question but need some Greensboro help. Last time my wife and I where traveling back from Blacksburg for a game we stopped at a Chinese Buffett there. It was cheap good and even had a Hibachi setup. But I can't seem to find it using my Google fu. Can you give me some names of places there? Going to brig the kids up for the spring game and stay Friday night and Saturday nit in Greensboro to make the trip easier on them. They love Chinese buffets so thought I'd take them there one night.
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Ichiban grill buffet, China Buffet, Super China Buffet, Asian Buffet are the biggest in GBO, but I have not tried any of them. We took the kids to the Die-Nasty in High Point when they were little. They now drive themselves to the Hibatchi Grill and Grand Buffet in Kernersville when they want to eat lots of Chinese/Japanese. It's the only one I've been to in the past 5 years big enough to have a Hibatchi. There are very good and cheap Korean, Vietnamese, or Thai places near Guilford college, off of West Market, but they are not buffet. My kids thought they were fun adventures, but not really for picky eaters or young children.
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Gonna be a cynic here a little, but I'm a little disappointed with some of these.
Tennis--I really wish they would move the outdoor facility to the Washington St courts. I don't know students who will go out past Lane to watch a tennis match, but if the team played on campus students walking by might stop and watch. You could build the stands into the hill and leave the courts open for public use when the team isn't playing. I hate to compare to UVA, but they have a top tennis team with a large following (tennis wise) in a large part because they play in the middle of campus.
Swimming--It'd be nice if the swim team was moved back on campus. I think we are one of the only ACC teams that doesn't have an Olympic sized or at least a competition pool on campus. It would benefit the team, the club team, club waterpolo, intramurals, students, and the community. But the Christiansburg Aquatic Center was built for a reason, and you'd have to do a full scale renovation of War to get this done.
English Field--Right field already has a hill that is popular for students gathering to drink and grill on a warm day. Eliminating a scoreboard there and building a larger berm, while leaving it outside the stadium boundaries (so you don't need to have a ticket and can bring alcohol/your own grill) could attract large rowdy crowds of students on a warm day.
Cassell--I'm against luxury/cushioned seats just because I don't like comfort or something (IDK where this principle comes from). But cushioned seats soak up noise, whereas the wooden seats reflect noise. This is really only a concern for weirdos like me. However, those seats should NOT be put in the student section. Hopefully the plan is to put in bleacher style benches in the student section because the student section is for standing not sitting.
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My friend's husband works for Mississippi State's Athletic Department and they have the coolest set up at their baseball stadium.
I can't find any good pictures of it (she sends me a million snap chats) but they have a deck set up in the outfield where you can bring your own grill and tailgate.
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I've seen that. If it wasn't in Starkville it would probably be really great. Seriously though, that type of set up, I was thinking something along the lines of berms in spring training stadiums, are so great and is how baseball was meant to be watched.
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OSU game was a sellout technically. If you're talking about the South Endzone being half full at the top I would direct you to the East Stands and the aisles of the North Endzone being so full that I could barely make my way out to the concourse.
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My point being that most people who get SEZ tickets print off NEZ or East tickets to sit there, and there's a fair number of kids with East tickets who print NEZ tickets to sit there.
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So are people taking 2 sets of tickets to the game? Their SEZ tickets to get in and then a NEZ or East stands to go sit w/ their friends? Have the ushers gotten that strict/attentive to where people are sitting? If they are taking 2 sets of tickets has anyone been rejected because they present the wrong ticket for entry and the East stands ticket has already been used?
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Yes. We used to print off extras for the East, get everybody in the gate, then pass out the duplicates to avoid confusion.
It would take years to check every ticket for if a certain aisle and seat has been used in the student section before allowing entry into the section. The easier solution would be to take up more of the east with the student section and make all of the SEZ available to non-students.
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Yes it is common practice if you don't have season tickets or your season tickets aren't with your friends to print off two tickets, one to get into the stadium and one to get into the section you want to sit in. I bet some people have been rejected at the gate for using the wrong ticket but I don't know anyone who's been that dumb. NEZ ushers will sometimes check both the ticket and the Hokie P to make sure the names match, but not always.
I expect some people on here will suggest that they be more strict checking tickets, but I think that would make some students not go to games, even if they're big football fans. No one wants to sit alone. Splitting student seating into 3 sections, and giving lottery tickets to SEZ upper deck makes it more likely that students are separated from their friends. The students should only be split into to 2 sections, NEZ and one other making it less likely that kids wouldn't have tickets with/near their friends. Oversell tickets to the student section, we can squeeze in, we're young. Then sell the tickets to the section that used to have students to the public. It wouldn't actually add many more seats, but the stadium would look more full.
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When I first arrived I recall that they didn't give a hell where you went. About my Junior year they started checking student tickets for sections, which resulted in a lot of Ocean's 11 type hand backs. Today, everyone is way more sophisticated than my drunken stupor would have afforded back then.
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This is where I was going with my questioning. We didn't have print at home style tickets when I was a student so any mixing or seat/section hopping had to be done in stadium (just keep moving, send 1 guy up to collect tickets from folks already in the stands, or some variation on that).
As for the seating arrangement - I agree, splitting the student section across 3 major stadium components is frustrating. But hey, I'm from a time when the Cadets sat in the middle of the East stands and Hokie Bird used to crowd surf all the way to the top of the stadium. I'm not sure they could group the students the way you are asking for without a major re-seating (which seems unlikely with the new rolling re-seating system that has been in place for a couple years). Maybe if the did a major reconstruction of the East stands or NEZ.
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Until we establish a season ticket waiting list-- and maintain that as the norm for at least 4 straight years-- there's really no reason to even think about increasing seating. I've been a season ticketholder since 2003, and I only recall two games where tickets were selling over face value (Miami 2005 & OSU 2015). Other than that, you've always been able to find tickets at face value or less. Of course, when ticket supply > demand, that works against the Hokie Club since seating priority is one of the main perks. In the mid-2000s, if you wanted to become a new season ticketholder, you needed to be at least a Silver Hokie ($1000 donation) to have a chance at tickets. These days, anyone can buy individual game tickets without donating at all.
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Regarding the English Field renovations, I found this comment on TSL quite interesting and explains some of the future planned uses of the baseball field:
Last month, I went to my first baseball game since I graduated. I knew they had replaced the field with turf, but I did not realize the ENTIRE field was turf (including base paths and warning track). I think the only dirt on the field is the pitcher's mound.
Is this normal? I had never seen a field like that before.
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Comments
Thoughts:
- That English Field sketch is awesome.
- Glad to see the Cassell seats are being replaced starting this summer. I would buy one of the old seats if they put them up for auction.
- Does anyone know what "resealing" South Endzone means?
- I'm surprised the golf building didn't come with a simulator from the start.
- I'm glad they included the cross country diagram, I don't think I had seen the new alignment for the road. I assumed it was going more on top of the old road. Cool design.
thanks for posting! Interesting stuff.
That was the original target. But they are postponing that to coincide with the reseating to be done in the summer of 2017. They are still in the process of picking out a company to do the seats; so far we have only had one in house demo done.
The "golf building" is the old wrestling room on the first floor of Cassell, which was recently the storage/surplus room.
Ah, gotcha. I assumed it was the indoor practice facility at the River Course. Thanks for clarifying.
Nope, Whit is taking away our last bit of storage space around here. Plus with it being on campus, in Cassell specifically, they no longer have to drive down to the River Course to get some practice in.
Who has the basement of the baseball bunker? The MVs used to use it for instrument storage, but since the new facility is up now, they no longer need it I'd imagine. Gotta be some storage there.
I'm trying to think of where you are talking about, but everything is pretty much being used nowadays. The only thing that could possibly be used is the old raquetball court, but people still play every now and then so that is a no go.
I think the upper level is baseball's batting practice facility. But it's down between the track and English Field behind McComas.
That area is shared by baseball and softball. It can have dividers down for batting practice or dividers up for a infield.
My experience building these types of facilities: no matter how much storage the coaches think they need, build 3x more.
In the long run, I think all concerned will be sorry for taking those 18 holes, on campus no less, out of the equation.
I think it just means a new coat of paint/sealer on the concrete. I'm pretty sure they did a similar thing to the East stands a year or two ago.
They are currently resealing the East stands. They did a portion of the West stands when they added the chairback seats.
Yeah, they typically use a fluid-applied waterproofing system that is rolled onto the concrete (like paint) and an aggregate finish is broadcast onto it for slip-resistance.
My building envelope senses are tingling... architect / engineer?
Architect (that specializes in historic preservation/building envelope work)
Awesome, I do some of that work myself, though my degree is in engineering. Good to see another facades / preservation guy on TKP!
That is the fanciest way I've ever heard sealing described
Great because I didn't have a crapload of homework to do today or anything! /s
All of this stuff looks awesome. Can't wait to see it come to fruition
So not to be that guy....but i'll be that guy.
How are we paying for all this?
I would assume US currency, but maybe bitcoin?
Offshore accounts in Panama?
Too soon?
probably futures
Ransomware?
Each year there's a certain amount in the budget for facilities improvements, but most of it is donor money. If I remember correctly, the Athletic Department paid nothing for the indoor practice facility. I know the Marching Virginian facility was by donation as well.
Monthly reminder to join the Hokie Club.
Leonard-A-Thon.
Just watch those phone lines light up like the 4h of July.
I will be in attendance
Party like the 4H you say!?
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Now you're cooking.
Off topic, but this comment made me think of it...
Have any of you recent grads got these nonsense IRS calls that try to exploit you into paying them to settle debts? The caller always sounds Indian and they spoof the Blacksburg PD phone number. I know a few friends that are Hokie grads that have had this happen, so i'm sure some of you know what I am talking about..
I am nearly positive one of the schools database systems must have been compromised. As the details I am fed from these IRS scammers are old addresses and details that I only used at VT to try and wiggle my way into in state tuition... details I don't use for any other accounts. Has VT released anything on this? Known data leaks
Have you contacted VTPD about this? If not please do so.
This is not a VT-exclusive thing. There are plenty of people around the country who are experiencing similar things. I have family in Arizona who has had this happen to them.
For a small fee I can take care of the scammers AND their IRS debt...
Well right, even the IRS mentions on their call-waiting that they would never call you and demand money. So they must get enough calls from shocked American's to have started combating this within their call queuing system.
I am just asking whether anybody else has noticed specific data that they only provided to VT. Enough of my friends have reported similar experiences, it makes me really think one of the school systems was hacked. I have not seen any confirmation from VT.
https://www.police.vt.edu/news-alerts/scam-alerts.html
Had this happen with them spoofing the Loudoun County Sheriffs office saying they had a warrant for my arrest based on an IRS complaint. They then tried to pawn me off on an "IRS Agent" in New York that could settle my debt. I told them they could come arrest me, then called the Sheriff's office myself, who asked that I go online and report it to the FCC as a communications fraud as well to the IRS themselves. The IRS also asks that you inform the Treasury.
https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml
https://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing
https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=...
Note to self, don't mess with Itrepeter2000!
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Dude is gonna bring it
I asked them for the case number and the local IRS agent assigned, after they told me police were on the way over.
Than I would simply drive over to the local IRS office with a cashier's check and pay it and we'd figure out what happened later.
Then called the local IRS office and files the fraud complaint.
I got one and checked it out. It's making the rounds all over the country. I figured they hacked a tax software database of some type.
My favorite is this recent tactic. Lady with nice voice, "Is this Henry? Oh, I'm sorry but I really didn't know who to ask for. I just want to talk to someone about...". It's way better than "Is theees Meeester Dahieeveed ..."
OT, but does anyone feel like the orange color in the presentation is slightly off and not as bright as before? If so, this would match with the previous renderings that came out last summer from Nike regarding a color change.
I want that golf facility built in my back yard, or the front yard, either yard really would work for me.
I wonder if we'll see Berman comment on the "ADA & Press Row Enhancements" at Cassell.
Love the wording used regarding the changes coming to the cross country course.
Well yeah, when they plan on running over your current course with an extension to the airport, you might have to realign where you run.
It's part of the new iron man cross country, dodge takeoffs and landings.
Sweet Jesus why did I have to graduate already?
I know this about athletics but when are the renovations to the athletic dorms projected. If I recall, I saw Zorn promoting to new Edge apartments to recruits since it will be a lot nicer than what the campus currently offers for dorms. If I am way off then my apologies. I just want to make sure for recruiting purposes or dorms aren't keeping recruits away compared to other universities.
I don't think you can have exclusive athlete dorms anymore,
well then are there plans to update the over all dorm situation?
Sure, just join the Corps of Cadets.
The idea that a recruit would go somewhere else because they may or may not get one of the newer dorms is pretty far fetched. I don't think I have ever heard a recruit mention it. To answer your question though there are remodels and improvements being done to all the older dorms and the newer ones are top notch.
This looks amazing
WHERE ARE THE LINES? IT'S CHAOS OUT THERE!!!!
And why is the Mini Cooper larger than the Crown Vic?
that's actually a lincoln town car, but fair point nonetheless
Furthermore, why is the Mini top "Tennessee" orange?
I suddenly want to get a M&O Mini Cooper.
Something, something, Zoolander quote
I got ya
That new entrance to campus is going to be a godsend. I'm super upset I graduate this year.
This makes me feel sad, sad and old.
One day I'll share the story behind that sketchup model/ design
would love to hear it. also why they didn't bother to use vray or another render plugin to give it some actual materiality and realism to the image. It takes like an extra 20 to 30 minutes. just saying...
Yeah I know... You're right but it started as a quick study and the rest is best told over a cold one at a tailgate
Very nice to see that the SEZ club level will have a new concessions setup. Looking forward to seeing the results in September!
How's it going new best friend.
Jeep random question but need some Greensboro help. Last time my wife and I where traveling back from Blacksburg for a game we stopped at a Chinese Buffett there. It was cheap good and even had a Hibachi setup. But I can't seem to find it using my Google fu. Can you give me some names of places there? Going to brig the kids up for the spring game and stay Friday night and Saturday nit in Greensboro to make the trip easier on them. They love Chinese buffets so thought I'd take them there one night.
Ichiban grill buffet, China Buffet, Super China Buffet, Asian Buffet are the biggest in GBO, but I have not tried any of them. We took the kids to the Die-Nasty in High Point when they were little. They now drive themselves to the Hibatchi Grill and Grand Buffet in Kernersville when they want to eat lots of Chinese/Japanese. It's the only one I've been to in the past 5 years big enough to have a Hibatchi. There are very good and cheap Korean, Vietnamese, or Thai places near Guilford college, off of West Market, but they are not buffet. My kids thought they were fun adventures, but not really for picky eaters or young children.
My wife figured it out, of course, it's in Winston Salem.
Is that the Dy-nasty across from CostCo?
Next to an IHOP like Hong Kong I think.
Sorry, just saw this!
Whit and Sands be like...
I just want to hang out in that golf simulator room all day.
Gonna be a cynic here a little, but I'm a little disappointed with some of these.
Tennis--I really wish they would move the outdoor facility to the Washington St courts. I don't know students who will go out past Lane to watch a tennis match, but if the team played on campus students walking by might stop and watch. You could build the stands into the hill and leave the courts open for public use when the team isn't playing. I hate to compare to UVA, but they have a top tennis team with a large following (tennis wise) in a large part because they play in the middle of campus.
Swimming--It'd be nice if the swim team was moved back on campus. I think we are one of the only ACC teams that doesn't have an Olympic sized or at least a competition pool on campus. It would benefit the team, the club team, club waterpolo, intramurals, students, and the community. But the Christiansburg Aquatic Center was built for a reason, and you'd have to do a full scale renovation of War to get this done.
English Field--Right field already has a hill that is popular for students gathering to drink and grill on a warm day. Eliminating a scoreboard there and building a larger berm, while leaving it outside the stadium boundaries (so you don't need to have a ticket and can bring alcohol/your own grill) could attract large rowdy crowds of students on a warm day.
Cassell--I'm against luxury/cushioned seats just because I don't like comfort or something (IDK where this principle comes from). But cushioned seats soak up noise, whereas the wooden seats reflect noise. This is really only a concern for weirdos like me. However, those seats should NOT be put in the student section. Hopefully the plan is to put in bleacher style benches in the student section because the student section is for standing not sitting.
Well if we keep putting more butts in those seats, it won't matter how much noise they soak up!
My friend's husband works for Mississippi State's Athletic Department and they have the coolest set up at their baseball stadium.
I can't find any good pictures of it (she sends me a million snap chats) but they have a deck set up in the outfield where you can bring your own grill and tailgate.
Sounds like a really good friend.
I guess I should clarify, they're mostly on her stories.
I've seen that. If it wasn't in Starkville it would probably be really great. Seriously though, that type of set up, I was thinking something along the lines of berms in spring training stadiums, are so great and is how baseball was meant to be watched.
A little disappointed that there has been no consideration to expand the seating at Lane Stadium by the Athletic Dept.
Umm let's start getting close to sell outs first.
This. And attendance at college football is trending down anyway. Man caves and expanded TV access is taking a toll.
The last time Lane was completely full was the GT game in 2012. We couldn't even sell out the OSU game this past season.
*Source: Been to every home game since 2012.
OSU game was a sellout technically. If you're talking about the South Endzone being half full at the top I would direct you to the East Stands and the aisles of the North Endzone being so full that I could barely make my way out to the concourse.
We have had quite a few games in that span that were technically sellouts, but had a ton of empty space in SEZ and East Stands.
A revamped offense philosophy should help with that in terms of Ws which equal sell-outs.
This is the difference between a sellout and a full house. All the tickets sold, but not all of them resold to people who would actually use them.
My point being that most people who get SEZ tickets print off NEZ or East tickets to sit there, and there's a fair number of kids with East tickets who print NEZ tickets to sit there.
So are people taking 2 sets of tickets to the game? Their SEZ tickets to get in and then a NEZ or East stands to go sit w/ their friends? Have the ushers gotten that strict/attentive to where people are sitting? If they are taking 2 sets of tickets has anyone been rejected because they present the wrong ticket for entry and the East stands ticket has already been used?
Yes. We used to print off extras for the East, get everybody in the gate, then pass out the duplicates to avoid confusion.
It would take years to check every ticket for if a certain aisle and seat has been used in the student section before allowing entry into the section. The easier solution would be to take up more of the east with the student section and make all of the SEZ available to non-students.
Yeah this is exactly what I said below, just more succinct.
Yes it is common practice if you don't have season tickets or your season tickets aren't with your friends to print off two tickets, one to get into the stadium and one to get into the section you want to sit in. I bet some people have been rejected at the gate for using the wrong ticket but I don't know anyone who's been that dumb. NEZ ushers will sometimes check both the ticket and the Hokie P to make sure the names match, but not always.
I expect some people on here will suggest that they be more strict checking tickets, but I think that would make some students not go to games, even if they're big football fans. No one wants to sit alone. Splitting student seating into 3 sections, and giving lottery tickets to SEZ upper deck makes it more likely that students are separated from their friends. The students should only be split into to 2 sections, NEZ and one other making it less likely that kids wouldn't have tickets with/near their friends. Oversell tickets to the student section, we can squeeze in, we're young. Then sell the tickets to the section that used to have students to the public. It wouldn't actually add many more seats, but the stadium would look more full.
When I first arrived I recall that they didn't give a hell where you went. About my Junior year they started checking student tickets for sections, which resulted in a lot of Ocean's 11 type hand backs. Today, everyone is way more sophisticated than my drunken stupor would have afforded back then.
This is where I was going with my questioning. We didn't have print at home style tickets when I was a student so any mixing or seat/section hopping had to be done in stadium (just keep moving, send 1 guy up to collect tickets from folks already in the stands, or some variation on that).
As for the seating arrangement - I agree, splitting the student section across 3 major stadium components is frustrating. But hey, I'm from a time when the Cadets sat in the middle of the East stands and Hokie Bird used to crowd surf all the way to the top of the stadium. I'm not sure they could group the students the way you are asking for without a major re-seating (which seems unlikely with the new rolling re-seating system that has been in place for a couple years). Maybe if the did a major reconstruction of the East stands or NEZ.
Until we establish a season ticket waiting list-- and maintain that as the norm for at least 4 straight years-- there's really no reason to even think about increasing seating. I've been a season ticketholder since 2003, and I only recall two games where tickets were selling over face value (Miami 2005 & OSU 2015). Other than that, you've always been able to find tickets at face value or less. Of course, when ticket supply > demand, that works against the Hokie Club since seating priority is one of the main perks. In the mid-2000s, if you wanted to become a new season ticketholder, you needed to be at least a Silver Hokie ($1000 donation) to have a chance at tickets. These days, anyone can buy individual game tickets without donating at all.
Regarding the English Field renovations, I found this comment on TSL quite interesting and explains some of the future planned uses of the baseball field:
http://chat.virginiatech.sportswar.com/mid/7599776/board/vtbaseball/
That's be pretty cool. Appalachian league runs June-August, so it would be a great addition to Blacksburg's summer entertainment options.
Last month, I went to my first baseball game since I graduated. I knew they had replaced the field with turf, but I did not realize the ENTIRE field was turf (including base paths and warning track). I think the only dirt on the field is the pitcher's mound.
Is this normal? I had never seen a field like that before.
It is normal for schools that have problems with snow. It means that after a snow storm they can just plow the field and then play.
Yeah - I googled it later and learned it was quite common.
My only question is how do fielder know they are on the warning track? Is it softer or something?
Probably, never thought about it to be honest.
Just saw this on Twitter. Starting to look good.